Ich, lionfish and prefered treatment???

[wan 2 B reef'in]

Ok, if a lionfish gets ich what form of treatment do you use?? It's my understanding that some of the treatments available will kill them (clout, copper, rid ich) to name some.
I talked to a guy not long ago (about a week) who told me he's treated his volitans with copper, the thing is I have 2 radiata's and a fuzzy dwarf, and from what I've been told radiatas are a little more sensative to some if not all treatments.

Do you take the time to do daily water changes to catch the ich durring its several life cycles and hopefully rid the tank of it that way, or is there a better way?? Oh, yep they are in a QT.

Thanks in advance...... the radiatas, fuzzy and me

 

[TerryB]

Lionfish are sensitive to copper as are puffers, mandarins, dwarf angels and some others. The only copper that I trust with sensitive fish is Cupramine. The copper level must be tested twice a day and more added as needed. However, I rarely suggest copper for ich anymore. Hyposalinity works great and it does not stress the fish when used correctly. You need an accurate refractometer for hypo. You may have to do daily water changes if your Qtank isn't cycled. I keep a cycled Qtank always running, just in case.

Terry B

 

[wan 2 B reef'in]

Thanks for the info. I have in the past treated other fish with mardel's coppersafe, but lost the several fish I was treating with it after 2 wks. so I then swithced to cupramine and will never look back! As for the hypo, I've done that as well but was hesitant to try it with the lions due to the fact that I was told that lionfish don't do well with "freshwater dips" and figured doing hypo may be to close to a "freshwater dip".
I've been told by 1 LFS that 1.018 - 1.017 should be good enough in the past when I first heard of hypo, then did some research here on RC and found some info saying I could go down as low as 1.010 - 1.008. So what would a safe level be, do I just watch for stress or shoot for a specific gravity?

Again thanks for the previous info, and any additional.

 

[TerryB]

Measure the salinity not the Specific Gravity and use 14ppt. Use an accurate refractometer to measure the salinity. Check the pH daily in hypo and add a buffer as needed. A Specific Gravity of 1.010 can be too high and most hydrometers are not accurate enough. Treat for 3 weeks minimum, better 30 days.

Terry B

 

[wan 2 B reef'in]

Thanks for the info, will do.